Over seven hundred volunteers from the youth organization ‘Makom
BaLev,’ or ‘A Place in the Heart,’ traveled to the south to provide
Israeli children and their families with encouragement and support in
light of the recent surge of rocket attacks perpetrated by terrorists
in Gaza.

The program, which is funded by the Orthodox Union (OU), has been
active for over a decade and has branches in communities throughout
the country.

Volunteers engaged the residents in heartfelt discussions and,
together, they learned "VeHi She´Amda," a verse from the Passover
Hagada.

The verse recounts that in every generation, the Jewish people are
confronted with enemies who seek their destruction. Yet, despite the
overwhelming hardships, with G-d’s help, they manage to persist and
persevere.

Haim Shmila, Kiryat Malachi branch coordinator, said that learning
this specific verse was intended to convey the understanding that,
despite the attampts of our enemies to annihilate the Jewish people,
their efforts only further solidify our belief and sense of purpose.

“We believe that the personal connection is an integral part of the
learning process, especially in times of crisis,” stated Director of
Makom BaLev, Yisrael Goren.